(Story by Marco Stoovelaar; Photo by Henk Seppen)
        Venezuela shuts out Dominicans to win Caribbean Series; Balentien in All Star Team
Nederlands
 MIAMI, Florida (USA) -
Tiburones de La Guaira from Venezuela shut out Tigres del Licey from the Dominican Republic 3-0 in the Final on Friday-evening (February 9) to win the 66th edition of the Caribbean Series (Serie del Caribe).
Earlier on Friday-afternoon, Curaçao Suns scored early, led 4-1 halfway the fourth inning, but was lefty-handed, as the team lost 5-4 against Federales de Chiriquí from Panama in the Bronze Medal-game.
It was the first time that a team from Curaçao had advanced to the Semi-Finals.
Next year, the Caribbean Series will be played in Mexicali (Mexico).
It marks the first time that Tiburones de La Guaira won the annual event, but it was the eighth time that a team from Venezuela won the Serie del Caribe.
The last time that a team from Venezuela won the Caribbean Series was in 2009 when Tigres de Aragua finished in first place in what was then a round-robin tournament without a final.
Back then, in Mexicali (Mexico), four teams participated who all faced each other twice.
Tigres de Aragua then won five of its six games.
Last year, the Final also was being played between Venezuela and the Dominican Republic.
Tigres del Licey then also represented the Dominican Republic and then faced Leones del Caracas.
A year ago, it was Licey that won the Final with a 3-0 score to capture its record-extending 11th title and the 22nd (also a record) for the Dominican Republic.
Last year, the Serie del Caribe was hosted in Venezuela, where the games were played in Estadio de Béisbol de La Rinconada (also known as Estadio Monumental de Caracas Simón Bolívar) in Caracas and Estadio Jorge Luis Garcia Carneiro in Macuto, which is the home of this years Series-winner Tiburones de La Guaira.
This year, the annual event was played in Miami, Florida (USA), where all games were played in LoanDepot Park, the home of Miami Marlins.
It was the first time that the games were played in an American Major League-stadium and the first time since 1991 that the event was organized outside Latin America.
Back then, Miami also hosted the Series and the games then were played at Bobby Maduro Miami Stadium, which was a Minor League-stadium and was demolished in 2001.
On February 3, Day 3 of the tournament, the evening-game between the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico was attended by 35,972 spectators, a record for a Caribbean Series-game.
That record was broken in the Final, which was attended by 36,677 spectators.
The Serie del Caribe was first organized in 1949 in Havana (Cuba).
There were no tournaments in 1961-1969, but since 1970, the event has been played annually again, except for 1981.
The Venezuelan team was led by Manager Ozzie Guillén, who played in the Major League for 16 seasons.
The former short stop played for Chicago White Sox (1985-1997), Baltimore Orioles (1998), Atlanta Braves (1998-1999) and Tampa Bay Devil Rays (2000>
Guillén was Manager of Chicago in 2004-2011 and of Miami Marlins in 2012.
In 2005, Guillén led Chicago White Sox to its first Championship-title in 88 years, becoming the first Latin American Manager to win a World Series.
Guillén also was Manager of Tiburones de La Guaira in the professional Venezuelan (Winter) League in the 2016-2017 season.
He returned last year for the 2023-2024 season to Tiburones for whom he had played his entire Venezuelan career.
Guillén became only the second Manager to have won both a World Series and a Caribbean Series.
The first was wellknown Tom Lasorda, who in 1973 (in Caracas) was the Manager of Licey when it captured its second title.
Lasorda won the World Series with Los Angeles Dodgers in 1981 and 1988.
...Wladimir Balentien in All Star Team...
...On the photo, he is with the...
...Netherlands during the...
...2017 World Baseball Classic...
(© Photo: Henk Seppen) |
Seven teams participate in this years tournament, who all were the champions of their respective professional leagues.
The final standings was as follows:
1. Tiburones de La Guaira (Liga Venezolana de Béisbol Profesional, Venezuela), 2. Tigres del Licey (Liga de Béisbol Profesional de la República Dominicana, Dominican Republic), 3. Federales de Chiriquí (Liga Profesional de Béisbol de Panamá), 4. Curaçao Suns (Curaçao Professional Baseball), 5. Criollos de Caguas (Liga de Béisbol Profesional Roberto Clemente, Puerto Rico), 6. Naranjeros de Hermosillo (Liga Mexicana del Pacifico, Mexico), 7. Gigantes de Rivas (Liga de Béisbol Profesional de Nicaragua).
After conclusion of the Final, the eleven players of the All-Tournament All Star Team were named.
Curaçao-outfielder Wladimir Balentien was chosen as rightfielder.
The other All Stars are Ángel Padrón (Venezuela, Starting Pitcher), Jairo Asencio (Dominican Republic, Relief Pitcher), Iván Herrera (Panama, Catcher), Hernán Pérez (Venezuela, 1B), Robinson Canó (Dominican Republic, 2B), Dawel Lugo (Dominican Republic, 3B), Jack López (Puerto Rico, SS), Aaron Altherr (Mexico, Leftfield), Alexi Amarista (Venezuela, Centerfield), Nelson Velázquez (Puerto Rico, Designated Hitter) and José Mayorga (Panama, Manager).
In the Final on Friday-evening, Venezuela opened the score in the fourth inning.
Yasiel Puig led off with a single.
The Cuban was then replaced by pinch-runner Odúbel Herrera, as Puig had sustained a leg-injury in the first inning.
After Herrera had moved on a single by Ramón Flores, the two advanced on a sacrifice bunt.
Next, the bases were loaded via an intentional walk, but Herrera then scored on a sacrifice fly by Alcides Escobar.
Venezuela left runners behind on second and third base.
Venezuela added two runs in the fifth inning.
Wilfredo Tovar led off with a single and scored when Hernán Pérez followed with a triple.
Hereafter, Dominican starter Cesar Valdez was relieved by Jonathan Aro.
He first got a grounder, which kept Pérez at third base.
Moments later, Pérez was able to score on a grounder by Odúbel Herrera.
Venezuelan starter Ricardo Pinto struckout six batters and gave up only four hits in 5 2/3 inning.
Four relievers then gave up only two more basehits in the remainder of the game and added five more strikeouts.
Afterwards, Pinto was named Most Valuable Player of the tournament.
Trailing 3-0, the Dominicans got their biggest scoring opportunity in the sixth inning.
With one out, Pinto gave up a single and with two outs, he got the bases loaded via a walk and a hit batter.
Pinto was then relieved by Jorgan Cavanerio, who got an inning-ending grounder, meaning three runners were left behind.
(February 9)
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